Step 2: Prep the area and wait

Take your tools and the garment to a sink, or use some other bowl or container of appropriate size.

Take out two ice cubes. I like to use the old-fashioned ice cube trays because they produce ice with a flat top and a flat bottom, but any ice will do! Use a bowl to contain the ice and garment if you can't stack the ice - see below.

Place one cube under the gummed area, with as few layers of fabric as possible (ie - in the pant leg).

Situate the gum spot in the center of the cube, and carefully balance the second cube on top.

For oddly shaped ice: If you're using weirdly shaped ice cubes, place the ice cubes inside the garment and then press it down into a small bowl and put more ice on top.

Wait for at least 30 minutes. You want the gum to get good and cold, through and through.

<p>Just did the can of computer air duster, as instructed by skruddgemire below. Inverted the can and sprayed the gum for 20 seconds, it went rock hard and scraped it off with the back of a butter knife. It was a big blob of gum. Thanks skruddgemire!</p>

I use large ice cubes to water my indoor plants. It melts nice and slow allowing the soil time to absorb the moisture as opposed to running right through the bottom.

<p>OK so I got blue gum in a nice cotton shirt that I only wore 1 time... I was really mad! anyway it was washed and dried so it was melted into the fabric.. I tried goo gone, oops out, duster, ice, and soap and water( on the biggest part of the stain) nothing worked not even a little. So then I grabbed this stuff called Greased Lighting not even sure where I bought it from but it worked instantly. This stuff is AMAZING im going to find out where I bought it and buy a case... </p>

<p>FYI - Grease Lighting can be purchased at most home improvement stores and even Dollar Tree.</p>

I bought it at Ace Hardware. I havnt tried it on gum but will remember that because i hadvthe same issue with my sons hoodie. It was all over it. Ended up tossing it.

<p>Gum can also be used to remove gum. Roll the gum on gum. It will collect the gum on clothes.</p>

<p>Need to pin this so I won't forget. Thanks!</p>

<p>Great idea but what if you sit on gum and you don't realize after a few days and the gum becomes old and it seeps into your clothes?</p>

My daughters LOVE chewing gum and get it on there clothes all the time

Very nice instructions.

Why would you have Chewing Gum in your clothes? Lol

once i bought a clothing and it came with gum in it

now we need a how-to remove gum from hair!

Scissors

peanut butter!

See WD-40 comment, above.

who wants their hair to smell like WD-40

Depends on your priorities. Nevertheless, you can think of it as a two-step process if you want -- use the WD-40, then rinse it off. A little baking soda is also very effective.

To save some time, I would suggest picking up a can of computer air duster.
Invert the can and spray the gum. It'll go rock hard and cold in about 20 seconds worth of cold blast. I've used this to get gum out of a carpet where I work.
It's also great for getting gum off the underside of a table. Spray, Freeze, Whack with putty knife...and it drops right off.

I've used this method several times. It takes some patience, but works well (probably not as much patience as waiting for the freezer to work).

Peanut Butter works very well works for other places where gum can get stuck...hair, sister's hair, brother's hair, you know, and it doesn't smell like WD-40. Don't use if you have a peanut allergy.

Just stumbled upon this, have to say this seems like a pretty good tip. Always hated having gum on my clothes.

where do you live, in Singapore?
Why do you deny the simple childhood pleasure of gum chewing?
My friends had moms like this, and I never quite understood the military approach to gum control.
Just make them watch the oompa-looma song:
"keeps you from smoking, and brightens your smile!"

I said why: I have spent a lot of money on their teeth. They have plenty of childhood pleasures, and can chew gum as soon as they can afford to fix their own teeth. I have dental work and don't chew gum either.
And no, I don't live in Singapore. Is that a particularly anti-gum country? :-)

There's an import ban on gum in Singapore. Aside from that, great instructable! I have gum stuck in a pocket x_x

Does Goo-Be-Gone work on this too? I just discovered Goo-Be-Gone this weekend - it was the only thing that could clean the hair spray buildup on my laminate floor.<br/><br/><hr/><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cleanfreakcleaningservices.com/maids-housekeeping/">San Diego House Cleaning</a><br/>

My son's school trousers had a massive stain on them left by chewing gum. I'd scraped off the worst and had tried everything else to get the stain out, but nothing worked. Was about to throw them out when I found bruc33ef's tip and as I had nothing to lose, I tried the WD-40. I sprayed it on the stain, gave a little scrub with an old toothbrush and hey presto it instantly disappeared! I immediately washed the trousers in a bowl of soapy water and they've dried perfectly clean, no stain left by the WD-40 or the chewing gum. By the way, the trousers are made of Polyester 100%. Thanks, bruc33ef.

Baking soda works well for this, too. <br/><br/><a rel="nofollow" href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080623050430AAvfxHk">http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080623050430AAvfxHk</a><br/>

Hmmm. But what happens when you get a fabric you don't want to stain with WD40? The ice is a pretty fabric-safe method. I'd test the WD40 on an inconspicuous spot first if you choose that method.

WD-40 is 50% dry-cleaning solvent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40) and is unlikely to stain, but yes, a test certainly is a good idea.<br/>

wow, funny though, cause ur right.

Just put some dry ice on it then let it sit.
dry ice is much cooler than ice(-5 farenheit).

Good instructable. Does it work with silly putty? By the way, who did get the gum on his pants?

Well, we think it was Alyssa; found out she came to karate class with gum in her mouth, and left without it... :)

Does anyone have tips for removing gum from clothes that have already gone through the dryer?

actually, another really good way for getting rid of gum from clothes AND hair is just rubbing some peanut butter on the gum, and then just wiping it off.

high-5 jo!

How Dare you not let you kids chew gum! Why btw? Im guessing this instructable is one reason, but otherwise. Gum has some upsides

i agree to my standards, thats a servere form of child abuse! i mean come on! gum was invented by a dentist trying to strengthen the muscles in his jaws!

Between dental appliances (spacers, etc) and some fillings, we don't want anything being pulled out.
They get non-sticky gum for Christmas and birthdays and stuff. It makes it that much sweeter. I wish my parents had help me back from the candy a little; then it would be a treat instead of a food group!!
:-)

You could also put the pants into the freezer for half an hour.

actually.... you have used solid bihydroxide in this... you said no chemicals...<br/><br/>haha :D bihydroxide = H2O = water :D:D<br/>

It's dihydrogen monoxide; at least, that was what the "hoax" was all about. "bi-" is a shortcut instead of saying "hydrogen", and "di-" means "two". Hydroxide is a hydrogen/water anion. No need to reply, this is just me being picky.